A Family Changed in Cambodia

A tough life for kids in Siem Reap

Families can be transformed if we help them.

Onin and Onut, children of an alcoholic and violent father, spent their days walking around the streets playing and looking for valuables in the rubbish. Their mother worked in a Karoke bar so they lived with their grandmother outside of town and were often in the streets till 10:00pm at night so school was not an option for them.

Both Chantha and his wife, Sokhim wanted their children to attend school, but they didn’t know where to start until a neighbour introduced them to our “Bridge of Hope” project , which they themselves had been involved in. When faced with the possibility of rice to supplement the income they would lose if their children attended school and stopped earning something from the streets the family enrolled in the project.

A new life for the kids

The children were shy and unsure of themselves, pale and quiet, with tiny bodies. Onin, now 12, studies grade 3 at a government school and though small, is energetic, enjoys playing guitar and computer games, spends half-days taking classes at the “Bridge” and would like to be a carpenter.

Onut, now 10, small and underdeveloped, studies well and is full-time with the “Bridge”. His little sister, Sokha, begins school next year and with her two brothers is increasingly cheerful and cultivating good relationships with peers.

Helping Families get through

Chantha now has a full-time job so there is less time for alcohol and consequently the family situation has improved. This represents just one of the many challenges that “Bridge of Hope” seeks to tackle on a daily basis with life-changing results.

You too can help to change a family and help some children on their journey by donating below.